


Family Meeting

by InchByInch



Series: That's How [2]
Category: Homeland
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-25 23:20:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13223367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InchByInch/pseuds/InchByInch
Summary: Franny calls a meeting.





	Family Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> In this AU, (among other things) Keane was caught on a hot mike complaining that her spanx were killing her.
> 
> So, Quinn and Carrie and Franny continued working on building their lives together in Brooklyn. They hurt each others’ feelings, and shared cookies, and tried to care for each other, and… healed.
> 
> . . .

She’d done it once before. About a month ago, shortly after her 12-year-old birthday, Franny called a “Family Meeting.” 

“What do you mean?” demanded Carrie. She and Quinn exchanged glances.

“A family meeting. It’s when we get together as a family to discuss things—all three of us,” she clarified, in case there was any confusion about who she was including in ‘family.’

“We can discuss anything anytime. We don’t need a formal meeting, Sweetheart.”

“For something important, maybe we do.”

The two adults stared at each other a few minutes. Franny knew they couldn’t really read each others’ minds, but when they stared like that, she wondered.

“Fine,” said Quinn. “Tomorrow when we all get home, before dinner: Family Meeting.”

_________________________

And in the end, it hadn’t been a big deal, at least Carrie didn’t think so. Quinn, however, really regretted that he’d ever heard the words ‘Family Meeting.’ Franny had a proposal she wanted the three of them to discuss. She was 12, and many of her peers were babysitting for younger kids, now. It was time for her to be allowed to stay in the house alone.

That was the problem with the word ‘meeting.’ Quinn couldn’t simply say ‘absolutely not’ and then walk away, at least not without being a complete asshole. Shit, Franny was growing up to be just as manipulative as Carrie. And, just as much a pain in the ass.

So, they had a discussion, the three of them, and they had to listen to Franny’s arguments. Carrie agreed that Franny had some good points and Quinn’s points sounded ridiculous, even to him. They settled on a compromise: for the foreseeable future, Franny could stay home alone – in the daytime – for short periods of time – when Quinn or Carrie was in the immediate vicinity and reachable by phone. 

And so began the habit of Carrie and Quinn going running together on weekends.

Quinn had to admit, he liked running with Carrie, but he was still deeply suspicious and unhappy when Franny announced: “I want to hold another family meeting.”

Fuck. He and Carrie looked at each other, and they didn’t have to have much mindreading ability to communicate what they suspected: staying home alone had never been the end goal. Whatever Franny was planning to drop on them now would be much worse.

__________________________

 

“OK, Madam Chair, what’s the agenda?” Carrie started off.

Franny took a big breath. 

Shit. 

“I want Quinn to adopt me, and I want you two to get married.”

“Franny…”

Neither Carrie nor Quinn looked towards each other. Quinn’s face was a blank mask and Carrie’s read a million different emotions.

“Why, Honey? Quinn loves you so much, and we are both committed to you and to each other. We don’t need—”

Quinn leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. “Franny. I’m not good enough for you or your mother. But she’s right, I do love you and—“

“Is that what you think, Mom?”

“God, no, of course not! Quinn, it’s just… Fuck. Franny, why are you bringing this up now?”

“That’s a dollar. It’s what I’ve always wanted, and now I’m big enough to ask. Why not?” Her last question was directed right towards Carrie.

Carrie ignored her daughter and looked at her partner. “Quinn. You are the best person I can imagine as a father for Franny. Look at me, it’s true.” 

Quinn did not look at her.

“Fuck.” For once, (alright, as usual) Carrie wasn’t concerned about her language around Franny. “Franny,” she reached out and took both her daughter’s hands and looked her straight in the eye. “Sometimes I mess things up, a lot, for people I love and who are close to me.”

“So? We don’t care, right?” Now Franny looked at Quinn, and she was almost in tears.

“Oh, Sweetheart...” He held his arms open and she crawled in for a hug. “Your mom and I need to discuss this, privately. Whatever we decide, you need to understand how much I love you, and how much I love your mother.” Now Franny was crying a little, and she nodded while her head was still buried in his chest. “Now then, go wash your hands and you face, dinner will be here soon.”

As Franny disappeared down the hall, he turned to Carrie, “Our lives are completed enmeshed. We are fooling ourselves if we imagine we are protecting anyone by holding back.”

Carrie just stared at him. “Fuck.”

Neither of them commented on exactly what they might be ‘holding back.’

And that’s how they got engaged!

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year! I was cleaning out my files and found this snippet at the end of a work document. I don’t even remember writing it, and I can’t think how I would turn it into a real story -- but it made me laugh, so I thought I would share it with you all as-is.


End file.
